I just posted a comprehensive recap of all the news (and rumors) about Disney Springs, with an emphasis on Trader Sam's.

An excerpt:
It could certainly fit into the area’s water theme, perhaps skewed a bit more toward Sam’s adventures in turn-of-the-century Florida. Disney Springs will include four outdoor “neighborhoods” connected by a flowing spring and vibrant lakefront. Fans of the Adventurer’s Club are eagerly awaiting further details, hoping for more than just a tribute to the nightclub that was styled after a private club for world travelers and explorers in the 1930s. Could the Disney Springs version of Trader Sam’s also include some of the old cast performing in a dinner show? Hopefully the same warehouse that yielded many of the Adventurer’s Club artifacts in the Anaheim Trader Sam’s is still loaded with treasures. It will be interesting to see if and how this develops.

Good news because the Polynesian would really benefit from a "Trader Sam's-magnitude" bar upgrade. The Tambu Lounge has not been much of a draw for me, for some reason the cocktails have not been very impressive. I will have to give the Backscratcher another try, though, since it seems to be a fave of yours and I respect your opinion.

Bad news because anything at the Polynesian means you would have to observe Disney parking policies. In this case, to park for free, you would have to stop at the usually very-friendly guard shack, show ID, and tell them you're there to visit a restaurant. That would not be such a bad deal, though, if they decide to start charging for parking at the new Disney Springs. As long as Disney remains friendly to the non-overnighting guests, I would be alright with it. I don't want to run up a bar tab AND have to pay Disney another $15 to park my car.

Again, good article, thanks for sharing here. We really need a Trader Sam's in Orlando. It helps take a *very tiny* bit of the sting out of losing the Adventurers Club which I understand was collateral damage in the overall Pleasure Island closing.

Locating the WDW Trader Sam's @ the Poly is a GREAT idea theme, atmosphere the works. They could expand Ohana's floor area & do away with the Tambu Lounge (POOR drink quality). It would be hoped that Disney management at WDW will maintain the same standards of the original Trader Sam's at Disneyland.

Resort vs. DowntownTrader Sam's in Anaheim is located at a hot spot and I understand that it gets very crowded. Placing Trader Sam's Orlando at the Polynesian Resort would tend to keep it from the Downtown Disney/Disney Springs crowds and make it more of a "resort" experience. I think that will make it less busy and more enjoyable. I also think that even the best tiki places lose some lustre when they are jam-packed with people, so that's another advantage (to my way of thinking) by placing Trader Sam's at the Polynesian Resort. I do enjoy good cocktails in a pleasant environment - without too much "crowd noise" - which allows me to drink and enjoy the company of my friends and guests. That's one of the reasons I made the commitment to having a home bar.

I will very likely be visiting Trader Sam's Anaheim for the first time during the week of August 18th, 2013. I'm looking forward to the experience and to seeing some of the Adventurers Club memorabilia which has been carefully placed inside.

Trader Sam's @ Disneyland is located behind the Disneyland Hotel & is attached indirectly to DL's DTD, so you have to seek it out. They give 3 hour free parking in the general DTD parking lot. TS @ DL is SMALL, but they can serve both in & outside. Would like to know the size they are proposing for the potential TS @ the Poly WDW??? The second time we went to TS @ DL the bartender doing our drinks told us he worked a year prior at the Tambu Lounge at the Poly, we FROZE!!! Yes, the drinks turned out to be so so compared to our first visit.

You have some good thoughts the pros and cons of Trader Sam's at the Polynesian vs. Disney Springs (Downtown Disney). I was going to get into that on the blog, but I thought I'd save it for a future post.

Yes, the crowds and riff raff that a Disney Springs location would attract could definitely detract from the experience. Not to mention the clueless tourists who just wander in. So a Polynesian location would certainly give it more of an "in-the-know" crowd.

My feeling is that's not really a consideration, however. Most likely the resort simply needs some new features to "plus" the experience for upcoming DVC members. I wouldn't be surprised to see a new restaurant concept introduced as well.

The parking fee is certainly a turn-off for those not staying on WDW property, I agree. Have you tried the bus from Downtown Disney? It's free, but you run the risk of getting stuck in the evil vortex of the Disney transportation system.

From what I've heard, the first thing to happen will be the closing of two of the Polynesian's longhouses for conversion to DVC. This could start as early as September.

In early 2014, work could begin on the pool and Great Ceremonial House. It will be interesting to see how fast the work proceeds. Disney tends to keep the disruption to guests minimal, but this one will be tough.

I hope the work on the GCH doesn't take away from the charm. I would hate to see the water feature go since its such a standard item to see in a Polynesian themed place. If a huge Lilo and Stitch statue were to go up in its place I would definitely cry.

On 2013-08-09 17:36, xtine wrote:If a huge Lilo and Stitch statue were to go up in its place I would definitely cry.

xtine, there is a precedent in Orlando that indicates Disney knows not to do this in their higher-end resorts. None of the other high-end resorts like Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Grand Floridian, etc. feature Disney characters but instead showcase a unique and grand architectural design. Yours is a good point, and I would cringe too if that were to happen. I don't think we would see Pop Century stuff in the Polynesian, and I'm optimistic that the re-imagining will be a positive updating of a grand and glorious resort.

For one rarely-discussed and amazing example of Disney's penchant for great resort architecture, check out Disney's Grand Californian in Anaheim and also the Aulani resort in Hawaii.
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I hate to sound greedy, but being in SoCal I wish we could avoid a Trader Sam's location in Florida altogether. I know Team Disney Orlando gets a lot of flack for taking shortcuts and cheapening experiences, as well as disliking water features for whatever reason. Removing The Polynesian Resort's water feature really is a downer, although some regulars say that its not exactly the freshest smelling area of the hotel. When I visited in January there were no complaints from me.

And yes, I believe it was Cristian that bartends at Trader Sam's and was once part of the Disney College Program in Florida. He was likely at Tambu Lounge.
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